Archive for the '3 Inches Of Blood' Tag Under 'Soundcheck' Category

July 11th, 2010, 2:12 pm by KELLI SKYE FADROSKI, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

It was a hot, sweaty Saturday in San Bernardino County but it was definitely a day for Southern California metalheads to let loose as the third annual Mayhem Festival kicked off at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore with an impressive draw for such stagnant times for the concert industry. By 5 p.m. promoters were beaming with pride, happily answering “just over 20,000” to anyone who asked what the attendance was.

“I talked to production and they said sales of this tour were up 60 percent,” Randy Blythe, vocalist for main-stage act Lamb of God, told the crowd after a pounding performance of “Set to Fail.” “That tells me the people want to hear real music … not Top 40 bulls***.”

With two side stages located adjacent to the actual amphitheater, bands got mosh pits started early, even though Ticketmaster.com and even the physical tickets themselves listed the start time incorrectly -- they had it at 2:30 p.m. when Winds of Plague went on at 1:50 and Sangre followed at 2:20. Their music could be heard from the parking lot, but by the time many made it inside, Canadian metal act 3 Inches of Blood was already on stage, with a dusty circle pit forming instantly for the group's song “Trial of Champions.”

Hatebreed was also welcomed with open arms as dynamic vocalist Jamey Jasta encouraged the largest circle pit in front of the side stages. Likewise, Orange County's own Atreyu were well-received, sailing through tracks like “Right Side of the Bed,” “Ravenous” and “Deanne the Arsonist” despite a motocross stunt show happening immediately to their right.

Five Finger Death Punch played the side stage at the inaugural Mayhem Fest in 2008, so the rising group was proud to announce to everyone that it had finally clawed its way to opening the main stage this time out. “We could not have done it without every single (bleepin') one of you,” vocalist Ivan Moody shouted to fans.